Into The Madness
by II Renegade II
Summary: What does it mean to go mad? What does it feel like? When do you acknowledge it?...after his life went back to normal, Kurama had indeed wished for something new, something exciting, but this was far more than he had asked. Kurama-centric, KxOC, rated for adult themes, gore, language and sexual content.( Updated often, please R/R : D )
1. Setting the Board

**A/N: Hello there! This is the first time i have wrote a YYH fanfic, hope it will come out rather well.**

**Just to clear things up a little bit, this is a story which takes black after the Black Chapter Saga. Sensui is defeated and everyone is happy : D I plan the whole story to be Kurama-centric and told from his point of view, but this may vary, depending on how the story goes (i don't have anything planned step by step just yet, but i hope things will work out).**

**Also, i will be including two OCs in this story, one male and one female and the pairing i planned would be Kurama x female OC, ok? Although pairing sounds a little funny since this will be more of an analysis of what's inside Kurama's mind and he sees things over. As well as exploring some of my personal headcanons when it comes to demons, spiritual energy and all that mambo-jumbo.**

**Anyway, hope i've cleared things up so...don't forget to Review if you like where this is going and...expect more chapters soon enough!**

**Also, very important, I will try to stick with Kurama's character as much as i can sooo...please tell me if i got anything wrong, ok?**

**Have a nice day!**

* * *

_**Chapter 1 – Setting the board.**_

_There is this old saying our grandparents used to tell us when we were young and naïve and desperate over the most trivial of things. They used to say everything would fall into place sooner or later, just like the sea brought layers on top of layers of sand on the shore each year. If the whole world would be a beach then every single living creature would be a small strand of sand waiting to be set in its place by the waves of life. Told by the calm voices of our elders, it sounds like a beautifully poetic story with a strong vide of fantasy and mystery surrounding it. It is the kind of story which would make one calmly surrender to fate, knowing everything will work out in their favor sooner or later…_

_But when you live the kind of life I have lived….this story is mere dust in the wind. Ephemeral, childish and just a small story to be forgotten once you evolve enough to know how life and fate works. For me, this story disappeared and dissolved back in the days when I was a demon thief, many centuries ago. I have heard it again in my years as a human child, but paid it no attention for I already knew somewhere, inside of me that it wasn't a good guideline._

_Up until now, my life was nothing more but a struggle to find my place, through one way or another. I pursued power, then I wished for riches and material treasures…then I wished only the best for the one person I owned my new life to, my mother…and now…_

_And now I seemed to have lost my purpose._

_Or at least…so it seemed._

_After winning the Dark Tournament and stopping Shinobu Sensui from destroying life in the human realm as we know it, my life turned gray. I returned to my human school to learn things I already knew, face my human colleagues who easily bored me and pursuing false dreams of entering a college I was completely oblivious to, just because that was the way this life had to take its course._

_I have thought so many demons and apparitions. I've gained so much power and knowledge. To think that everything would end with me still trapped in my human body and limited by these human boundaries twisted something inside of me. Yes, it was true that I have grown weary of this life, so simple and hollow, but still…I can't help but feel I could do more with my time for the being…_

_Little did I know that this wild inner wish of mine would change my perception of life and fate alike in the most unexpected of ways. One small event led to another and, just like the pieces of a gigantic domino, my life fell to bits only to be rearranged again. In all my years as a demon and as a human I would have never guessed that this was what it was stored for me. The one thing, the one person who would affect me so and give me a new purpose in life stormed into my life so unexpectedly yet so subtle, I never had the change to prepare a plan._

_The initial piece which started the whole train of events was, ironically, the White Queen. It all started in my apartment with a game of chess…._

* * *

"Check mate." I announced through the silence of the living room. It was the first thing to be said in quite some time, right after I had set my White Queen in position, blocking every single other path for my adversary.

"Hmm…." The other man smiled and rose an eyebrow before he leaned over the board and with a short move of his finger, he pushed his Black Queen over in defeat. Then he closed his eyes and leaned back into the comfy armchair sighing deeply. "Well, isn't that a surprise." He said sarcastically, visibly amused by the situation. Across him, I decided to lean back as well, and relax my tensed muscles for a few moments.

"Don't be like that Kaoru; this was a very intense match. Your technique gets better with each game we play." I told him while reaching up for my cup of tea. Our game of chess must have lasted for quite some time since the flavored beverage was now only slightly warm. "Besides, you nearly got me about 5 or 6 moves ago. I had to really think of a method to break through your barricade without losing any important pieces."

Kaoru chuckled while crossing his legs at what he had heard. "Well, I suppose I can take that as a compliment, coming from the undefeated chess champion of our school." He joked about one of the many pseudo-titled I seemed to have gained back at our learning environment. "So, should I take it that the Bishop wasn't really such an important piece? That is quite interesting, Shuichi, sacrificing one from the lower class in order to protect the ones who truly matter. I will remember that from now on."

We exchanged weary, appreciative looks for several moments, both of us acknowledging that our last game was truly a very intense and exciting one, which truly could have ended in every single way. Perhaps the true decisive factor of his victory was my true demonic nature, which naturally gifted me with a superior intellect compared to the mere human mortal. But there was no denying that Kaoru himself was quite a match.

To think of it, Kaoru was quite an apparition himself, so to say. I have met him several months ago, when he transferred from a neighboring city and became my classmate. Although I always managed to stay in good terms with all of my colleagues, I somehow managed to find a good conversation partner in this new student and grew appreciative of his intelligent nature and his charisma. Also, we seemed to share their love for the mind game of chess, which was the exact reason I had invited him to my place that afternoon. My mother brewed us some tea, exchanged several words with her son's friend and then left them to measure their technique. For the following one and a half hour.

The sun was visibly lower in the sky now, and its light began to catch a slightly warmer tone, a clear sign it was about to set soon enough. Kaoru turned to gaze outside the window for several moments, then fixed the glasses on the bridge of his nose and ran a hand through his shoulder-length light brown hair. "It seemed we were really engrossed in our game; the hours passed quite quickly." He said amused with the whole situation. I simply nodded in agreement.

"Yes they have. You know Kaoru, I hear the local chess tournament will start soon enough. I strongly advise you to sign up, the chances will surely be in your favor." I informed my companion, before taking one last sip from the cup I was holding.

"Oh, I don't really have any interest in that event. I am not looking to show off or anything; matches like the one we just had are much more interesting for me." Kaoru brushed it aside, reaching for his own cup of tea.

Interesting how the other young man had this particular way of thinking. It was no wonder though; the new student was inclined to keep things for himself, and was generally a collected and private person. Pretty much like the myself. Which was understandable, keeping in mind he was still the new figure in class and, even after several months he seemed to have problems fitting in. However, the girls seemed to have caught quite in a liking to him since Kaoru was undeniably quite an apparition. Tall, slim, overall handsome with a hint of mystery; in some ways he reminded me of myself, so to speak. Now it seemed only natural for both of us to get along so well, much to the dismiss of our female classmates.

So, naturally, I understood him and his intention perfectly. I would have avoided that tournament myself for the very same reasons; chess was, for me just a game which added a little bit of spice to this otherwise boring life. These were the last moments in which I would actually find a use for my complex way of thinking in a more challenging domain. In the light of the recent events, where Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and myself risked so many lives fighting such obscure forces, life was so boring… It was peaceful and calm, but boring. Silently, I was just so very thankful to have found a decent opponent to help me get over the most excruciating torture there was; doing almost nothing all day, every day…

Yes, a game of chess in the intimacy of one's home was definitely what both of us would have preferred.

With a smile I rose and offered to take my companion's now empty tea cup. "Arrange the pieces?" I urged Kaoru with the slightest hint of a challenge in my voice while eyeing the other man firmly. He nodded and began fixing the board while I retreated towards the kitchen in order to brew us some more tea. And that was my eaxct intention from the start, but just as I was about to place the kettle on the stove to boil some water the phone rang, diverting my attention. Several moments later I picked up the phone.

"Minamino family, Shuichi on the phone. How can I help you?"

_"Kurama, it's me, Kuwabara…"_

My heart almost skipped a beat. I wasn't expecting him to call at this time. Not to mention the voice I heard rang with a grave and serious vibe and betrayed something out of the ordinary interrupted his daily life.

"What happened?" I asked directly. There was no hiding, I knew with what kind of intentions I had been called.

_"We have quite a situation on our hands. I talked with Urameshi and it seemed Koenma wants to gather us all to tell us something important. All we need know is you and shorty to come at my place and sort things out…"_

"How soon will this conference be?"

_"As soon as possible...Urameshi won't squeak a damn thing and it's driving me crazy! It'd be good if we got over with the formalities so we could get to work right away…"_

Get to work right away. Those words struck me more than I would have liked to admit. Those words brought up a spark of excitement in my gut and for a moment and I simply had to calm down my increasing heartbeat. A wave of enthusiasm washed quickly through my entire body, a quick thrill that something was about to happen which would finally take my life out of the ordinary once again. After all, even if it had been only several months, I was more than eager for this kind of news, in a sick, twisted kind of way.

But I managed to collect myself soon and, after several moments of silence, I assured Kuwabara I would be right on my way before hanging the phone and turning on my heels to leave. Through in the following moment I remembered of my guest.

"Kaoru." I drew the attention of the other man while entering in the living room. "My apologies, but I'm afraid our next match will have to wait. I've just been informed of some urgent matters I need to attend."

The other young man didn't seemed quite affected by those words as I would have expected him to be. I noticed he had been staring at the screen of his cellphone right before I returned. Also, his overall demeanor seemed to have change. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes, yes it is…" the man fixed his glasses again. "Funny thing though, I too have to leave. Seems I am needed back home as well so I suppose I will have my change at revenge some other time." Kaoru smiled, although I could tell his smile wasn't as natural as the man wanted it to be. I wanted as he gathered his things with uncharacteristically rugged gestures and head for the door without really making eye contact with me anymore. It really seemed he was in a hurry himself."I'll see you in school I suppose. Have a nice evening, Shuichi." Was the last thing he said before he left for good.

The whole sudden change in the man's attitude felt me feeling a little perplexed, but the feeling was quickly brushed it aside. I had more important things to attend right now. Perhaps Kaoru was only embarrassed by the whole ordeal, but those were matters to be discussed some other time. I decided to waste no more time and went to my room to change my attire and then leave for the established meeting of that evening.

* * *

The sun had already set and I was yet to arrive at my destination. Kuwabara's house was close enough to walk to and, despite my eager curiosity, I actually took my time reaching the destination, trying to think things over while walking at a constant pace.

It wasn't all about the urgent phone call I had just received; various other thoughts invaded my mind. Familiar thoughts which had been roaming around my head for quite some times now. Images and memories of all the bloody and gruesome battles, feelings and sensations ten times stronger than what I was used to as a demon and, of course, the never fading and constant comparison between lifestyles which never seemed to give me peace of mind nowadays.

Youko Kurama was a strong demon. Shuichi was just the vessel in which the demon's soul resided. And this vessel was significantly weaker. And perhaps it was this weakness of mine which never allowed me to adjust to life without constantly worrying if I would live for another day. Or perhaps the demonic thirst for that certain type of adrenaline one could feel only when they are unleashing their full spiritual and demonic energy that never gave me peace. And this constant struggle was in the least annoying for with each passing day I felt as if I was wasting my mortal life. So of course, when I received Kuwabara's phone call, the sudden rush I felt was well intended, and I was entitled to it…wasn't I?

Well, perhaps I am simply a little too self-centered; tonight's discussion obviously was going to be about some more important than my own foolish ambitions. And, as long as it would keep me entertain, even for a little while, the whole experience will be well welcomed in my life.

"Here already…?"

The piercing voice of the fire demon shattered the calmness of the night and made me acknowledge him. I was so absorbed by my thoughts that I almost didn't notice him.

"Good evening Hiei." I saluted my old friend, locking my green gaze with his. "Funny how you came on your own accord, I was thinking you would need a little more convincing." That comment came out a little too joke-like than I intended. The last thing I needed was to make him want to leave. But when he jumped down from his tree branch and grunted in my direction I knew he wasn't going anywhere. He began to walk towards Kuwabara's door right away and I made the connections right away.

Hiei to was just as bored as I was.

* * *

"Finally guys! Good to see you!" Kuwabara's voice echoed the second we entered his home. He came to welcome us and I smiled softly at his excitement. And at the way he grunted when Hiei simply passed by and never acknowledged his host.

"Good to see you too, friend." I held out my hand and gave the human a firm handshake. I was led to the living room where our other companions were seated.

Oddly enough, it seemed they weren't truly sharing Kuwabara's excitement. And even his died down once we were all reunited. Still, I couldn't really ignore my manners.

"Yusuke, Botan, Shizuru…" I acknowledged the rest of them. The girls returned my words with a small smile each, however Yusuke kept staring blankly with narrowed eyes at something visible only to him. His arms were crossed at his chest, he was visibly tensed. And the rest of them seemed to follow up on that state as well. So I adjusted to the solemn atmosphere as I sat down on the sofa next to Botan."You called with such urgency, Kuwabara. What seems to be the problem?"

"I don't really understand why the whole meeting right away myself," he answered me in the same grave voice he used on the phone. His eyes darted towards Yusuke. "And this little punk ass won't tell us a damn thing! Botan was actually the one to mobilize us all."

"Well, I wouldn't actually call it that…" the blue haired girl replied, not ready yet to take full responsibility. "Look, we have quite a situation on hand, but I don't think we all should be that worried. At least, not until you are all well informed." I watched her while she reached for the suitcase, open it and tried to set up a connection with the spirit world.

"Why the heck shouldn't we be worried?!" Kuwabara's voices erupted. "From what I understand that asshole knew something important for the past week and never told us! There's some shit going on around we know nothing about! And look at him! Would you stay calm when you would see a face like that on Urameshi?!"

Well, that was unexpected; I wasn't prepared to have some kind of inner conflict going on this time. But I couldn't really ready to contradict Kuwabara. Yusuke hadn't said a word since my arrival, and for what I could guess, he hadn't really spoke to anyone anything conclusive. And the way his facial muscles were tensed it was more than just clear there was something bothering, worrying him greatly. Some sort of inner conflict perhaps. Maybe it was because the rest of us were never meant to know of this so called situation.

"Kazuma, knock it off…"Shizuru spoke softly to her brother. "Yusuke would never keep anything from his friends, whatever is going on I can bet it isn't really as bad as you all make it sound….am I right?"

_"Actually, Shizuru, the situation really is quite bad."_

We all jumped at the voice emitted from the communication suitcase, shizuru in particular, since the answer was intended for her.

"Koenma! Finally, I thought this thing broke down!" Botan sighed amused.

_"I am not in the mood for jokes…"_ the toddler said with the same stoicism in his voice. It was spreading like a disease and it made me feel a little anxious. Naturally, I leaned towards the communication device as well as Kuwabara. He was definitely the most eager for some answers in the room.

"Koenma! What the heck is this all about! Your precious little spirit detective is too much of an asshole to bother and share what he knows directly with us so you gotta shed some light in this whole mess!"

_"Don't blame him, Kuwabara. Given Yusuke's stubborn attitude and character, it is no wonder that he would sulk like this. After all, I will go forth and assume this is the first time he failed one of the cases I gave him to investigate."_

The room fell silent.

Yusuke…failed a mission?

Inwardly, myself Kuwabara and Hiei stared at each other for a few moments before concomitantly turning our gazes towards the spirit detective. In all honesty I think neither of us wanted to upset him any more than he already was, but I saw his jaw clenching tighter as a low grunt escaped his throat. The only one who appeared unaffected by the news was Botan, who now adopted a more consoling look and voice tone.

"Last week Yusuke had to investigate the case of two strange apparitions causing some mischief around the area. But…up until now we've got almost nothing on them." She said, shedding a little bit of light on the case. And making Yusuke even more uncomfortable.

_"That is correct."_ Koenma interfered. He crossed his arms to his tiny toddler chest before he continued. _"In the last month or so I've been getting more and more reports on some strange activity caused by two very distinct apparitions. They seemed to have come out of nowhere but they are gravely messing up the spiritual balance in the atmosphere, and this varies from causing otherwise dormant demons to become more aggressive or sickening down the human population."_

"Wait, what kind of creatures can mess with the lives of both humans and demons?" I inquired curiously, for there were very few species out there to actually be able to cause this kind trouble.

_"This is one of the motives I have decided to involve the rest of you in this case. Our information on the criminal duo is close to none."_

Peculiar…Not even Koenma knew much about those apparitions? That was strange.

"Hn. You folks in the demon world must sure be quite ignorant then. Presumably having upper class demons roaming free though the human realms and knowing so little about them. It's no wonder Yusuke failed, you barely gave him a mission in the first place." Hiei's words were share and on the point, as always. And I could relate to his point of view; this situation was unique to say so. Hunting something you don't know much about is always something very dangerous.

"But wait a minute!" Kuwabara jolted once again. "What about their spiritual energy! Urameshi, are you so dumb not to recognize a trail around town then you sense one!?"

_"Don't bring this upon him again, Kuwabara. As I said, we know almost nothing about them. Not even what kind of energy they possess…."_

For several moments we all had to digest what we were told.

"Wait…WHAT?!"

"Kazuma, calm down! You aren't helping….!" Shizuru pestered her brother again. But I wasn't denying his reaction in the slightest.

"That is impossible…there is no way these apparitions wouldn't emit any kind of signature. If that is the case, the only logical explanation is that they are mere humans with no spiritual attributes at all." I deduced quickly with what little information I was given. But soon enough my theory was destroyed by the toddler once again.

_"That would not be the case, Kurama. In spite to what little information we have, this is the only footage we managed to capture of the duo in action."_ He told us before making a gesture and the screen shifted, showing what seemed to be some really bad quality security footage. But even with the low quality, we managed to see what Koenma was talking about.

The first footage was of a tall figure who seemed to be using spiritual energy to manipulate a weapon and knocking out several humans at once. The second film was showing a different cloaked figure, being chased by some lower class demons but after it did a quick sign of its hand and emitting a very visible spiritual wave, the demons fell down and seemed to cry in agony while the criminal escaped them. The last footage showed both of them together, stationary, apparently caught in some kind of conversation. That until the taller one noticed the camera, grabbed his companion panicked and vanished into thin air.

"Hn…these two appear to be just some stupid D or C class demons who might have gotten their hands on some sort of camouflaging device." Hiei concluded quickly after viewing the material himself. He was right behind me at the time and, although it seemed pretty simple the way he had put it, it had to be something more. Otherwise Koenma wouldn't have bothered to bring us all in the same place.

_"It's not quite like that, Hiei. Yes, there is this last image,"_ the screen shifted again, sowing us a vaguely more specific photograph of our targets. _"From what my experts analyses, the two of them seem to be wearing each a jewel original from the Demon World and this is exactly what is masking them so well. That and the fact that they are pretty good at concealing their identity as well. Their masks are very covering their faces entirely, there is no way of telling what they look like behind them. But this is where I must contradict you, Hiei. What leads me to believe these are not your ordinary demons is the way they are moving and behaving. They seem to target both humans and demons, and have a very significant influence on both species. Not to mention, in the past month or so, since their activity started, we couldn't quite make out what they are after, their behavior is, as far as I am concerned, completely chaotic."_

"And this is why I need you guys right now…."

I jolted at the sound of Yusuke's voice, and I could feel the others have the same reaction. It was, after all, the first time he had said anything since my arrival.

_"Yes, I am assigning_ _all four of you from now on. Yusuke alone was unable to track them, so I have faith that all of you, together would be able to change that .I will send you whatever reports I have on this case. Your job is to identify these creatures, find out their intentions and, if necessary, stop them. Enough time had passed by already and we can't afford to waste not even a minute. I have faith you all together will succeed. Koenma out."_

That was the last thing we heard after the screen went blank. Botan was the most affected as she started to shake the device and call for her boss, demanding to know more. I slowly placed my hand on her shoulder to calm her. But calmness was hard to achieve as Kuwabara was already throwing his frustrations at the detective, demanding to know why he kept this from us. He claimed the mission was simple and there was no need to have the toddler call us so formally.

"Shut up, you dumbass!" Yusuke yelled in his friend's face, before landing a punch on the side of his face. "Do you think I'm all that happy I had that stupid baby in this whole ordeal?! This is far more serious than it seems and he insisted on talking with you, fuckface!"

"You are all missing but one point; what reason do I have to help any of you? I don't have time to waste, nor the motivation to be around you idiots anymore than I am obliged to."

"OH COME ONE, HIEI, DON'T GET ME STARTED TOO!"

I didn't sign up for this, but it seemed it was my duty to calm the fire demon once again, since Yusuke's nerves were already stretched to the maximum.

"And here I was, thinking that among all of us you would be by far the most curious to find out more about these presumable demons…" I started whimsically. Funny how I always had to change my tactic depending on who I was talking to. And it seemed to be working since I could feel his red eyes gazing in my direction; I have caught his attention. "Just think about this as another test to your abilities. Yusuke wasn't able to find these criminals; maybe your tracking talents will prove to be better. Also, I know very well that you are secretly curious at what their motivations are. Or why they are so subtle and hidden all the time." I sat up, digging my hands into my pockets and turned to face the rest of my companions. "Also, let us assume for a mere moment they are rare, upper class demons with obscure intentions. If that would be the case, our chances of going on with this mission would be in our favor if we choose to remain as a group. All of us."

"Kurama is right…" Botan agreed quickly with me. "About a week ago, when Yusuke first received this case, we had very little to work with and it was only the two of us! Maybe now we might actually find a trail to follow up on these two apparitions.

"I don't know Botan, things seem a little too vague, at least for me…" Shizuru rose from her seat, preparing herself a cigarette. Just then the suitcase began printing several sheets of paper.

"What are those?" Kuwabara asked, reaching out for the papers only to have his hand slapped by his older sister.

"Those are the reports, right?" the woman mumbled while holding the cigarette between her lips. After Botan confirmed her question, she bend over, grabbed the files and settled them carefully. "You know what, even if these are vague, maybe I can look through them? I am used with paperwork and I've got quite an eye for details." Shizuru seemed quite amused with the whole situation.

"Why not? I mean, you did partake to the whole meeting thing!"

"Of course I partook, Botan….this is my house too, you know?"

Well, I allowed myself to chuckle at the expression the blue haired girl made. Well, yes, she was a bit bubbly from time to time, and this was a good thing, it helped reduce the tension around us. But seriously speaking she was the exact kind of assistant Yusuke needed in his missions. Only now he was stuck with us. I turned to steal a quick look from our friend. At seemed his quarrel with Kuwabara settled and he reverted back to his gloomy state. But still, he managed to talk with us and get over his initial detached state which was, all in all, a good thing I suppose. In the opposite corner of the room Hiei was staring outside the window, probably weighting my words to see how much would this whole pursuit be in his advantage.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm really to get this thing started right away! Are you with me Kurama?" the orange haired man announced, drawing my attention.

"I will offer my assistance as much as I can. And I have a feeling Hiei will be joining our quest as well." well, it was the smartest thing to say at the moment, mostly because I was positive that if anyone would have landed the demon a direct question, he would have ignored it. From the corner of my eye I noticed Yusuke giving me a silently thankful look for taking the matter in my own hands. And it was that look which pushed me to continue on this path. "I suggest that the wisest thing we can do is simply rest for the night and allow the information we just received sink in a little. Until tomorrow when we would meet again. By that time Shizuru would have enough time to browse through those files."

As expected everyone agreed in one way or another and soon enough we would leave each for our own way. The night had fully installed herself by this time and I knew that I, for one, was expected to arrive home soon enough. Still, I would need to think of another excuse to give to my mother to make sure she wouldn't panic if this mission will steal more of my time than I originally planned it would.

But I had many things to set my mind's focus on since I felt Kuwabara's house; the excuse was just one of them.

Another one of the many thoughts in my mind was directed towards the demons we were supposed to hunt in the following days. Another thought wondered where they found the jewels which hid them se well from Koenma's eyes. I also thought about ways of finding them without tracing their energy or how will I fight once I would be face to face with them. But above all, my mind was primarily focused on just one idea.

The idea that I would no longer get bored.

What I twisted mind I have….For so many months I have fought exclusively in the interest of humanity, for the purpose of making our world a better, safer place. And once that was achieved I found myself wishing I have something other to do, something which would make me live to my potential. And now that we had been handled this case…now I was satisfied. In a very hard to understand way… Why deny the fact that Yusuke's inability to finish this mission himself wasn't intriguing me. I have to admit, I was actually excited to meet those apparitions; not because of some grudge or sick curiosity or out of pride.

But because they broke the routine which installed itself in my life like an ugly, disgusting weed.

That announced itself to be a very important night, for to my own naivety I thought this would be just like any other mission. But little did I, or anyone else for that matter know that with that single game of chess I had earlier in the day my life would change so drastically. And there I was, in my own bed that night, staring blankly at the ceiling as hours passed by. No, that night I barely got any sleep, I was too excited…

…just how foolish I was.

_The chess board had just been arranged...and i was just a piece waiting to be moved..._

_**To be continued...**_


	2. Sending off the pawns

**A/N : second chapter up! This one flew rather nicely unto the keyboard. I think i just wanted so bad to give a better idea of what this fic is all about i had a small writing spree. **

**Hope this chapter will shed a little more light on the plot thingy. So, please enjoy reading! ^^ And if you have time, i would love some feedback~**

* * *

**Chapter two – Sending off the pawns.**

The wind blew softly that evening and the sky was painted a deep red by the setting sun. Several clouds the chilling air announced the coolness of the bordering night. I inhaled and then exhaled deeply, allowing myself to taste the rich aroma of the atmosphere. It was thick and filled with excitement and I could almost feel it pressing unto my chest from way up high. As much as I wanted to avoid confessing it, I was so captivated by this scenery, the atmosphere…I was barely capable of holding the reigns of an adrenaline rush which threatened to surface at any time.

It was also true that I seemed to have been assigned what I considered to be the best position and the best place to scout. In those moments I found myself on top of a 6 story block overviewing the local park and the central square, watching with vigilant eyes for any sudden change or suspicious movement in the area, just as we had it all planned earlier that day.

* * *

"_Good, so here is what I've got up until now…" Shizuru settled all of us at the table as she pulled out Koenma's files. "Although I do have to warn you, that little guy sure wasn't kidding when he said we have little to work with…"_

"_It doesn't matter how little we have, I am sure we can work something out…" I cut the young woman's train of thought rather abruptly. It was true, last night I barely managed to get any sleep and this day caught me with even more excitement running through my veins. At this point it was becoming difficult to fully contain. And my companions seemed to have noticed this small change in behavior; Yusuke eyed me with a risen eyebrow for a few moments, but restrained himself from saying anything. I must be a little more careful…_

"_Um..yeah, right…" Shizuru agreed, organizing the papers with one hand and lighting herself a cigarette with the other. "From what I managed to gather up until now, the only constant thing about these two is the fact that they mess things up wherever they go. Most of these are just declarations of witnesses or victims."_

_This second meeting took place yet again at Kuwabara's house and all of us were now seated at the kitchen table with our attention directed towards our host's sister. Below our eyes she began arranging reports one next to the other so we could have a better view over all of them at once. I served myself with some of those papers and began reading them out loud. _

"_Shioku Kawasabi, male, D-class demon, 241 year old…claims de had encountered a strange manifestation about two weeks ago. Upon attacking the said apparition, he accused a sudden outburst of pain centralized in his brain. The pain was accompanied by visual and auditory hallucinations. He was left with a severe PTSD and is now in the Keonma's custody until further notice…"was noted on the first paper. _

"_Hey, take a look at this one!" Kuwabara drew my attention from besides me. He was reading another report. "Yuumiko Mouto, Human female, 37 years old…was waiting for her train one evening to return home when she claims to have been startled by a sudden wave of hot air. Afterwards she too accused a sudden pain in the head accompanied by hallucinations. It was strong enough to make her pass out. Her mind had been wiped clean by the Spirit world and is now under constant supervision…" Kuwabara finished and set down the file with slight concern. He was visibly affected by what he had just read as he stared for several moments into the blank space before him. _

"_This one is just the same." Hiei spoke, setting down another file. "A female C-class demon who managed to trespass into the Human world about a month ago. She claims to have been deliberately attacked by two individuals of which only one carried a weapon. She couldn't make out the clear contours of the other one, but upon being touched by it, she felt an excruciating pain in the head as well as the hallucinatory symptoms as well."_

"_Wha-What happened to her afterwards?" Kuwabara asked curiously. _

"_Hn. Does it matter? All that is important to us is that all of these reports are clearly the victims of the same criminals." The demon crossed his arms at his chest as he leaned back into his seat. It was clear he was done with all the paperwork, whatever else was left didn't intrigued him much. "Also, in case none of you managed to grasp the idea too well, we are talking about demons who simply mess with their victims head."_

"_You mean…something like a Mind Slasher?" Botan inquired rather incredulously. The term spiked my interest as well. _

"_What's a Mind Slasher…?" Yusuke mumbled under his breath from the other side of the table. _

"_A rare kind of demon whose psychic powers manage to turn one's own mind against them. They are capable of inflicting their own will against their victims and control their thoughts and emotions to their liking…" I explained softly. "However, I doubt they are demons of that nature. For once, they had been extinct for the last couple of centuries. And second, from what I can see in these files, most of their victims seem to be collateral only, very few had actually had altercations with them, which is highly uncharacteristic of this breed of demons."_

_It was true; the possibility of such a creature to resurface after such a long for no apparent reason was very slim. Not to mention, the last Mind Slasher I have met has a cold, stoic and very calculated creature; the chaotic approach our targets had adopted was nowhere near what I was used to. _

_However, my companions didn't seem quite convinced of my words. Yusuke rose from the table and threw the files in his hand unto the table, visibly furious. _

"_Well, frankly I don't care if they are extinct or not, Kurama! If these fuckers are running around messing with people's minds we can't just stay back! We gotta do something! How the hell do you fight against them anyway?" he barked in my direction. The detective's condition was degrading; this whole mission visibly frustrated him greatly. Well, it seems my answer will not bring him any satisfaction…_

"_You can't...The mind is the only thing which cannot be hidden under an armor…" was all that I said. And, as expected Yusuke threw his fists unto the table, successfully knocking over Shizuru's cup of coffee. Immediately, she reached to gather up the files so they wouldn't be destroyed. _

"_Hey, mind it wouldn't you?" the young woman barked, nearly loosing the cigarette from the corner of her mouth as well. Yusuke turned from the table but Botan was quick enough to assist her friend._

"_Shizuru, Kurama, please don't mind him. I think he is still pretty upset over the whole Koenma thing from yesterday. Also, to be honest, since you all got involved I think we came to unravel more about our target than the two of us did in the past week." The blue haired girl said towards both of us. Figures we would work better together, a little bit of brainstorming was always welcomed. So I simply assured her that I understood the situation and proceeded to help while Kuwabara brought up a towel to wipe off the excess of coffee off the table. _

"_Anyway, you can fight over what kind they are later on, I have one last thing to show you." Shizuru calmed down and reached for another item. It was a significantly larger piece of paper which she unfolded slowly, revealing that it was a map of our region, with several red markings scribbled from place to place. "I've compared all the reports and found out the approximate location where each attack took place. There are about 17 places which I've managed to track down and mark on this map. And as you can see, Koenma was right, at first they seem to be moving pretty erratic…" she stated while moving her hands over the map. And it was true, the dots seemed to be all over the place at first sight but when I took a closer look…_

_Oh..i get it now. _

"_They aren't actually all that chaotic, aren't they?..." I inquired while making eye contact with the young woman. Shizuru's usual bored expression softened when a small smile crept to her lips. _

"_That's my favourite redhead…" she mused, grabbing a ruler and a pencil and beginning to trace several lines between the dots. From across the table her brother became wide eyed. _

"_They're moving in a zig-zag!" he realized rather loudly. And how right he was, on the map was now a clear trail from one point to another. _

"_Hn, apparently we've been underestimating them.." Hiei commented. "I know this kind of approach; it's a good method to make sure you have no one tracking you. Their one mistake was that they became constant, keeping the same distance between two locations. It shouldn't be that hard to guess where they would strike next."_

"_If this is indeed a pattern…It could be easily estimated that their next attack should be around this area, right here." I placed my finger on the map, to make my point clearer. _

"_But…that isn't al that far away from here! We gatta mobilize right away! URAMESHI! Quit sulking already! Did you listen to a word we said, we can catch up these guys!"_

* * *

Well, after that sudden realization things started to flow more naturally for all of us. Despite his internalized anger, Yusuke managed to assign each of us a certain observation point depending on our own tactical approach. Hiei was assigned the park and the back alleys, Kuwabara and Yusuke scouted the streets and I was sent up here to have a bird's eye view over the extended zone. The only thing which helped us communicate was a new kind of device Botan had requested from the spirit world. Each of us wore a small ear cuff which allowed us to inform one another of any sudden changes. They were also connected to the suitcase back at Kuwabara's home and kept us in touch with the girls through GPS. Smart approach I must say this way we managed to keep track of a larger area without worrying we might miss something. Or someone.

The only disadvantage to this tactic was that we were all bound to hear the verbal fights between our team mates from time to time. But I would rather have them fighting one another than knowing they would be injured by our enemies.

"_Hey, does this thing works…?!" _I heard Yusuke loud and clear in the earpiece.

"_Man of Honor here! Yes, it works, over!" _Another voice was heard.

"_KUWABARA, STOP USING THAT DUMB CODE!"_

"Red Fox here, yes, the communication line is well set, over."

"_Oh Jeez! Not you too Kurama!"_

I chuckled lightly at Yusuke's voice. I heard Kuwabara laughing and praising me for my reply before a frustrated groan escaped from the detective. Well, yes it was childish, but it was pretty humorous, and sometimes, I just couldn't help myself. Growing up, I never really was in touch with advanced technologies so I took every chance I could to have the smallest bit of fun.

"Forgive me, Yusuke, but you should try and relax a little. There is no harm in making a small joke every now and then." I told my friend sincerely. Then turned my attention towards our other team mate. "Hiei, are you there? Anything going on in your area?"

"_Hn. Nothing but a bunch of idiots yelling in my ear…"_ he commented bitterly.

"_Ohoho, Hiei, why don't you get a codename? You should be THE FUCKING THREE EYED MIDGET WHO THINKS TOO HIGH OF HIMSELF FOR ALL I CARE!" _

I tried to hold back a laugh upon hearing the orange man's words. Of course Hiei never answered to that, but it was fun to only hear their voices and imagine my companion's facial expression.

The "conversation" continued for several more minutes into me ear and I only interfered only when asked a direct question. In the end Botan had to interfere to calm down the two humans and remind them that we were actually on a mission. But, to be honest, it didn't quite feel like it.

Fun and games aside, I have to admit, I was expecting something more…enticing. I know, I must be patient, let the enemy come to us, but I couldn't help but feel my enthusiasm fade away slowly. Perhaps I had lost my touch, a few hours of waiting used to be nothing for me. I was use to wait even days to ambush my prey without losing my concentration but now, as I stared into the darkened sky….i began once again to feel bored. And it seemed to be affecting my companions as well.

"_I don't know about you guys…but I'm startin' to feel really stupid over here…" _Kuwabara commented after some times. And in all truth, by the time he had mentioned this we would have been in our position for about 7 hours. The wind was now cold and it brushed against my cheek and forehead more roughly than before, sending my long red strands of hair to flow ever so organic in various directions. I had been scouring the area continuously without frequent breaks, but in those moments I sighed deeply and audibly as a sign of approval to what I have just heard.

"_Just hold on a little longer guys…I have this feeling something would happen soon…" _Yusuke tried to encourage us a little. Even he began to feel this effort would be futile but…might as well stay for several more moments. At least until the square clock would show the midnight hour...

Still, I opened my eyes and turned to look towards the square when something caught my eye.

At first I thought it was just one of those black spots one would get in their vision after opening their eyes too quickly but then….

…I kept staring, more cautiously this time…

…and I saw it again.

"Yusuke, Kuwabara! There's something on the main street next to the square, about four blocks away from your position!" I announced shortly, only to hear all of them gasp and tense.

"_WHAT!? WHERE?!"_

I stared again, trying to divide my vision so I could focus on a larger area. And I managed to see it again! Two figures appeared from the darkness. One of them fell down and the other returned to pick his comrade up. As soon as they came together they vanished once more.

"They are coming towards you! They're hidden, both of them! Just try to split them up!"

"_I don't understand a thing, Kurama!"_

"Use your Spirit Gun and Sword!"

"_But-!"_

"Just trust me, both of you! Do it, now!"

I never was the kind to lose my temper, but I simply knew what I have seen. I don't know how I managed to deduce that those apparitions needed to be split up, but as I watched over the street area, the sudden burst of energy from my friend's spiritual weapons combined managed to light up the street so brightly it was impossible for any kind of creature with the least spiritual awareness to be unaffected by them.

And I was just right, the plan worked.

"_Great! Now what the fuck do we-ARGH!" _Yusuke yelled in my ear piece and I could immediately see why.

Explosions.

"Yusuke, Kuwabara, to your left! You can see him now!" I told them as my green eyes followed one of the figures running away, throwing several smoke bombs and explosives behind him. Still, I heard my team mates notice him and soon enough they were pursuing him.

But…where was the other?

There he was, running in the opposite direction! Heading towards the park! Why wasn't he trying to help his pursued comrade?!

"Hiei, the other one is almost in your area!"

"_I'm on it right now." _Was the quick response I received.

I remained up in my observation spot for several more moments trying to keep track of my comrades and decide where I was needed most. Much to my surprise, just as Hiei jumped from one spot to the other, following the rogue, he too was caught in the explosive blasts.

"_DAMMIT! WE LOST HIM!"_ Kuwabara roared in the ear piece.

But…that was impossible! Did he…manage to teleport?!

"He caught up with Hiei! He needs help!"

By this time I too was on the move. From my spot up there only one thing became clear; those two apparitions didn't know of my presence yet and one was trying to protect the other. So while Yusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei were kept busy by one individual, I decided to pursue the rogue one. We just couldn't let him escape!

For a moment there I almost thought I had lost him, so I tried to keep my high ground, jumping from rooftop to rooftop until I managed to locate him. "I found the other one; I'm going in!" I announced one last time before jumping from my high spot unto the street, not far behind my target. And I finally managed to get a better look on who I was dealing with. He wore a cloak which fluttered behind him chaotically. He was fast of foot and agile in moves, dodging various things in his way as he made himself way deeper into the downtown streets. Perhaps this was his way of thinking he would lose me, but the fool should have known better.

I could have easily outrun him but I kept my pace, planning a different approach in my mind.

After all, every single one of those small streets was a dead end.

And soon enough he had run into one.

I was there to block his exit.

"Do not move…." I warned him in a low voice. I reached for the rose hidden in my hair while hearing the others acknowledging that I have caught one of them. For what it seemed, my companions were still pursuing this one's partner, but that wouldn't last for long… My prey was still facing the wall, his hands roaming over the bricks. Peculiar, wasn't he able to tell he was trapped?

"Your partner in crime is being captured as we speak. I strongly advise that you do as I say and no one will get hurt." I told him again while watching him vigilantly. Still, something seemed off; I felt as if I was telling off a child and not telling a criminal of his rights. There wasn't at least one second in which this creature felt to me as a criminal…the whole act…it felt just like an act, very unnatural.

Still, suddenly he charged at me, running in my direction full speed, arms reached out as if to grab me.

"_Rose Whip!"_

My weapon lashed out, wrapped around the wrists of my target and, with a swift move, threw him against the wall.

The sound that escaped from my prey was just like a yelp, full of fear and pain.

But…I don't understand, I was certain I hadn't threw him that hard. It was just a warning shot.

"_Kurama! What the heck was that?! Are you hurt?!"_ Yusuke asked through his battle. It took me several seconds to comprehend his words since I seemed to be locked in place.

I watched my target slowly pick itself off the concrete ground, so unstable on its own two legs. I heard sobbing and whimpering so quietly it scared me. Tears and droplets of blood began to paint the ground as it finally raised his head. The hood covered its head well enough to shadow the smallest features, but I could see the eyes right now. Big and watery…and a bruised cheek…and teeth biting the lower lip in pain.

My grip on the whip began to shake and a breath was caught in my chest. The sudden realization washed through me like a cold shower.

"Yusuke something isn't right….!" I said out loud, beginning to panic. "This is just a girl…!"

"_WHAT!? Kurama, get a hold of-AAAAAGH!"_

Yusuke's voice was interrupted by a large noise followed by a static sound. It seemed our communication must have been cut off due to another one of those explosions. But in those moments I was too frozen in place to understand what was going on with my companions. My current situation…overwhelmed me. I felt wrong. I felt…like I was the criminal in this picture. It was so hard to properly perceive what was going on, I never managed to act on time when my prisoner, the_ girl _launched herself to attack me, with her arms outstretched, once more.

And this time she got me.

She managed to brush her fingertips on my forehead.

It sent what I could have guessed to be an electric impulse through every single fiber of my body, locking me in place and making me lose all control over my muscles.

In that mere moment I caught her gaze through the shadow of her hood. Her big, wide eyes bared the strangest set of pure, matte white irises, which seemed to stare right into the deepest corners on my mind. While staring into those eyes I began to hear voices.

_Feeear…_

_Muuuurdeeeer….._

_They feeeear youuu…._

_Thieeef….._

_They feeear youuuuu…._

_Muuurdereeer….._

_Theee blood….._

_On yoooour haaaands….._

_Feeeeear….._

_Murdereeer….!_

_Murderer…!_

_MURDERER…!_

I heard that one voice whispering things over and over again, at first slowly and smoothly but then the voices grew more numerous and the words began to overlap one another into a horrible symphony. Images started to flash in front of my eyes, overlapping one over the other as well, clouding my vision. I know my eyes must have moved, trying to look elsewhere, but nothing worked! The images….memories of my as a demon…the blood on my hands….my hands rotting and being consumed by maggots….flesh falling off of my bones….! I could even feel it! It felt so real! In my mind IT WAS REAL!

My brain wasn't capable of handling all of this! It was too much! Too many things happened at once, too many memories, too many voices, too many feelings!

I began to feel the pain.

It was excruciating. Like none I have ever felt before.

In those moments, the thoughts were blades and the feelings were bullets. And they were showing me all at once.

I began to scream in agony. I fell down, holding my head, my eyes wide and unfocused. I began to hyperventilate among my screams. My heart was pounding in my chest, my arms and legs began twitching, I lost all control over myself.

At some point I became too numb to be able to do anything but suffer. I lay down there, just like a ragdoll with my eyes averted in the direction of my adversary. The girl…I managed to see fractions of her hovering over my laying form, her eyes just as wide and white and her hand still on my forehead. She was..still attacking me…my mind, she was ripping it apart…so slow…so agonizingly slow…

Still….suddenly it stopped! Well, not all of it, but he whole feeling truly died down all of a sudden.

"_BANSHEE STOP! STOP IT!" _

I was still too weak to move, but in my last efforts I managed to partly focus my vision.

"_Your wrists, what happened to them?!"_

And I saw the other one was now here. This was definitely a man. He was…holding my attacker away from me.

"_But…this is…You…You killed him!"_ I heard him as if he was miles away, his voice resembling nothing but a distant echo. He came closer and touched me. I must admit, I have never felt more "dead" in my life but…my vitals were still there. Barely, but still there…

"_He's alive…Thank the lord…How…did he survive for so long?"_

For so long…? Just how much time had passed? Why was he so surprised I was alive…?

"_Don't ever do that again! You understand, NEVER AGAIN!"_

I didn't understand anything he said…I was incapable of doing so. Everything was fading; my body began to feel even heavier. My vision seemed to redden itself and I could feel my mouth filling up with liquid which then poured out unto the concrete ground like silk.

The last I saw was the two figures hugging and vanishing into thin air. I think I must have blinked once or twice, forcing my lids to stay open…I managed to see the contours of my friends. They were calling my name….i heard the words "bleeding" and "vitals fading".

I wish I could have done something but…in this condition I was useless.

And tired…

And in pain…

_I passed out…._

_**To be continued...**_


End file.
